La~mour

Saturday, November 11, 2006

《回家》 The Way Home

刚在电视上看完一部2002年上影的韩国电影，《回家》，我深有感触。可能是应为这部戏与外婆有关，我应次才会有这些感触吧。

The Way Home
I remember watching this movie during secondary Two, with my girlfriends at the theatres. What was thought to be a bland, meaningless Korean flick left us all reduced to tears at the end of the movie. It was that touching. At least i saw it as that, so did my girlfriends and it definitely left an imprint in our hearts. Though it's my 2nd time watching this movie, it felt vivid, like my first. And tears flowed as i felt once again for the protagonist, the gramdma in the show. I shall just summarise this heartfelt movie.

Featuring seven year old Sang-Woo, a spoilt brat from a broken family in the city being sent to the rural countryside to live with his grandma while his single-parent mother finds work. Having had many things his way and taken things for granted while living in the urban city, Sang-Woo finds himself facing difficulties in getting used to living his grandma's rural lifestyles. In addition to their disparities, grandma could not speak nor write being an illiterate. Their communication broke down even further. Sang-Woo was hostile and rude to his grandma, hurling rude remarks without feeling apologetic. Yet loving grandma cared tenderly for him still, despite their broken communication. (do watch the show yourself to relate better(= ）

A demanding Sang-Woo pesters grandma for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Obvious to us, there was no such thing as Kentucky Fried Chicken in especially the rural areas. Anxious to get grandma understand his demands, he indicates a chicken. With some garden-planted products grandma walked with her frail body and wooden stick to the market to buy a chicken. Like any grandma who cares and dotes on their grandchildren, she was willing to go do the maximum, for her visiting grandson despite how he treated her. And so he waited at home and fell asleep while it poured outside. Poor grandma carried the live chicken, fresh from the market home, watching her steps with her trusty wooden stick, walking home in the rain.

A sleeping spread-eagled Sang-Woo welcomes grandma. Though drenched thoroughly, grandma brought out the thick blankets and pillow to put her grandson to comfy. She did not dry herself, nor cared much about herself but cooked dinner with the chicken she bought specially for her grandson. She probably ate only white rice which offering the whole chicken with rice to the bratty grandson. Fussy Sang-Woo threw a tantrum on seeing that the chicken was not fried like Kentucky's but boiled. He kicked his rice bowl away, upsetting its contents. Yet grandma took it calmly, retrieved the upset bowl and the scattered rice. She ate those scattered rice on the floor. Displaying male chauvanist attitude, he was adament to eat the boiled chicken, but ended up finishing the whole pot of boiled chicken in the night.

The next morning, grandma did not wake up as usual. Realising she had fever, Sang-Woo undertook a duty to take care of grandma. Besides, it was for him that grandma got drenched and became sick. Gradually, he developed feelings and attachment to his grandma. At the same time, while getting used to living the rural lifestyle, he developed a crush on a cheerful girl.

On harvest day, where villagers bring their crops to the market square to sell their products, Sang-Woo went along with his grandma to sell their home grown product, 2 pumpkins. Afraid of being seen with his grandma in their sale before his crush, selfish Sang-Woo abandons his grandma while she tries to sell their pumpkins, alone. Grandma cared much for him, saw to his many needs. She realised that Sang-Woo's shoes were spoilt and bought him a new pair, ensured he had enough to eat while she drank water. Bought him choco pies as he had wanted, let him take the public bus while she walks home with her heavy barang that Sang-Woo refuses to help carry on the bus. He treated her with utmost disrespect, often for his selfish gains, yet grandma treats him with undefined love.

She knew that his toy game required new batteries And she replaced them for him, packed the game with some notes(money) in a torn wrapping paper and put it in his possession. He found it the next day, was touched by her gesture. He knew she was very poor, yet she still went to such extent as to replace his costly batteries and even gave him money to spend. He was regretful for his attitude and rudeness towards her. He finally cried, and so did i. I was touched by her gesture, too.

Soon there was a letter from Sang-Woo's mother that she will take him back to live in the city soon. By then, Sang-Woo already developed affection towards his grandma. Her grandmotherly love finally won Sang-Woo over. Yet he has to return to the city soon. Sang-Woo tried to teach his grandma to write simple messages as such of: "I am sick", "I miss you" in a bid to keep in contact with his grandma whom he has found to love. Being a boy stubborn to admit his own shyness, he dare not give his grandma a hug before he left with his mother but showed that he cared and miss her in an alternative way. As the bus veered away from grandma, he ran to the back of the public bus and waved goodbye to a grandma he has come to love. And with that 'sayang' chest gesture which connects both grandma and grandson..

It's a lovely movie..dedicated to all grandmas in the world. That they care for us, so much and just as much as our parents do despite our age gaps or any other form of differences.

My own grandma will be flying off to Australia in about 12 hours from now. Seriously i am unsure of how i should feel. Being very close to my grandma, though she is to visit my Aunt and her family for one month, i feel adament on her visit. Perhaps some may consider one month to be short, but not for me. But on a brighter tone, i think this trip will do her good in getting fresh air from travelling to a cooler and different place to relax. (= Hence i shall wait patiently for her return in exactly one month later then. Shall go send her off tomorrow. I hope i won't go teary. Ha! (=Love her loads!

LA~mour at 1:44 AM